Pipe lighter



June14, 1949. F. HEAD 2,472,825

PIPE LIGHTEF Filed May 29, 1947 0 lHilii; i

INVENTOR,

(fiMES. fiHt- Patented June 14, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PI PE LIGHTER James F. Head, Washington, D. 0.

Application May 29, 1947, Serial No. 751,228

This invention relates to a combined cigar, cigarette and pipe lighter.

An object of the invention is to provide a flint lighter which is employed for lighting cigars, cigarettes and pipes, which is provided with an adjustable tube carrying a wick which is ignited in one position, but is extended into a higher position to facilitate the lighting of the tobacco within a smokers pipe.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lighter of this character that will prevent the user thereof from having his fingers scorched in obtaining a good light for his pipe.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lighter of this character having a tiltable cover which, in the opening thereof, will cause the flint to ignite the wick thereof.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists of the novel details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanyin drawing in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view thereof;

Figure 3 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of the device with the top open for the igniting of the wick and showing in dotted lines the position to which the wick can be extended for pipe lighting purposes, and

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the cover in open or igniting position.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the reference numeral I generally designates the lighter embodying the invention, which comprises the tubular shell or casing I I having an open bottom I2 and a closed top IS. The top is secured to the shell or casing l l by the depending flange 14. The casing forms a hinge I5 at the upper edge thereof on which is rotatably mounted the cover or cap [6 which is provided with the finger piece I"! for the opening thereof.

The cover is provided with depending apertiu'ed ears [8 between which is pivotally mounted by means of the pin (9, the arcuate shaped gear rack which is engaged on the outer side thereof by the curved spring 2| fixed to the inner surface of the cover Hi. The spring 2| forces the rack into engagement with the pinion '22 fixed to the friction or abrading wheel 23 which is rotatably mounted on the shaft 24 journalled in bearings 25 carried by the top 13. The pressure of spring 2! on the rack 20 will also retain the 1 Claim. (01. 67-71) cover it in closed position when the lighter is not in use, thus performing a dual function. The rack 20 extends into the shell H through the opening 26 in the top, and an arcuate shaped flint tube 2i is secured to the lower surface of the top it. The tube 2'! extends into the upper wall 28 of the V-shaped recess 29 formed in the rear of the shell. The tube carries the flint 30 for engagement with the wheel 23, the spring 3|, which forces the flint 39 against the wheel, and the adjusting screw 32, the head of which lies in the recess 29 for easy accessibility for the adjustment of the spring tension on the flint.

The shell ii carries the ring 33 which is integral therewith. ihe ring H carries the clip 34 and extends upwardly beyond the shell at 35 to house the lower edge of the cover I6.

Slidably mounted within the shell H, is the tubular cartridge or container 36 having the fixed integral top 37, removable screw type bottom 31' and forming the chamber 38 to carry the usual cotton 39 which absorbs the fluid for the lighter in the conventional manner.

The wick carrying tube or post 4!! is threadably secured in the top 31, so that the wick 4| carried thereby will terminate at one end in the cotton 39 for conveying the lighter fluid from the container to the igniting point of the wick which eX- tends outwardly of the tapered end 42 of the tube id.

The container 36 is moved upwardly to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 3 by means of the screw 43 secured in the top 31 thereof, moving in the vertical slot 44 in the shell H.

The cover it is provided with a snufier pocket M, at the front lower edge thereof, which covers the end 42 of the tube to snuff the wick when the cover [6 is closed after the lighting of a cigar, cigarette or pipe.

If the cover I 6 is partially closed when the tube 40 is in the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 3, the cover will engage the tube and retain it in this position, which is the position for properly igniting a smokers pipe.

It is difficult at the present time to successfully light a pipe with conventional lighters havin fixed wicks, as it is necessary to invert the lighter to properly ignite the tobacco, and even then with poor success. The inverting of the present day lighter blacks the lighter, making it appear dirty at all times, and even injures the sparking mechanism at times.

With the type of lighter embodying the invention, the wick is initially ignited in the position shown in full in Figure 3 in the conventional manner. The screw 43 is then slid upwardly to position the tube 40 in the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. In this position, a pipe can be easily lighted with the ignited wick Without injury to the lighter structure. When the pipe is lighted, the tube 40 is flowered, and the cover can be closed as in Figure 2. It is also obvious that when the lighter is tilted, the container 36, together with the tube 40, will, by reason of its own weight, slide by gravity within the casing l I to a position similar to that shown in Figure 3. Therefore, the mere tilting of the lighter will bring the tube 40 into position for lighting apipe.

By opening the cover IS with the use of the finger piece 17, the friction wheel 23 is rotated 1 against the wick for the igniting thereof.

There has thus been provided a lighter which is especially adapted to ignite the tobacco in a smokers pipe but is equally successful in lighting cigars or cigarettes.

From the foregoing description, it is believed the operation and structure of the lighter will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and it is to be understood that changes in the minor details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts may be resorted to, provided they fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

In a lighter, the combination which comprises a cylindrical casing having a longitudinallydisposed slot adjacent one end and having a transverse V-shaped recess at a point therein opposite the slot, a fuel container slidab'ly mounted in the casing having a button thereon positioned in the longitudinally disposed slot and having a threaded plug forming the bottom thereof, an elongated tubular wick carrying post mounted on the fuel container at a point thereon adjacent the slot in the casing and ofiset from the center thereof, said post extended upwardly to the upper end of the casing with the container positioned in the lower part thereof, the upper end of said container from which the post extends positioned about midway of the height of the casing with the container in the lower part thereof, an arcuate flint tube extending from the upper side of the V-shaped notch in the casing to the upper end thereof, an

abrading wheel having a pinion thereon rotatably mounted on the upper end of the casing and posit'ioned to engage a flint extending from the end of the flint tube, a cap having a, snuifer pocket therein hinged to the upper end of the casing with the said snufier pocket positioned to receive a wick in the said wick-holding tube as the cap is closed, and .an arcuate gear rack carried by the cap and positioned to mesh with the pinion on the said 'abrading wheel, whereby the rack actuates the wheel to engage the flint as the cap is opened.

JAMES F. HEAD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,746,949 Kollstede Feb. 11, 1930 FOREIGN PATENTS 'Number Country Date 145,229 Austria Apr. 10, 1936 565,852 Germany Dec. 6, 1932 

